1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of duct-type cable routing systems. More specifically, the invention relates to fittings that allow quick assembly without the use of tools using a releasable barb assembly.
2. Background
Raceway duct systems have become very popular in recent years to route, protect, and conceal data, voice, video, fiber optic, and/or power cabling. Such systems allow custom installation and can be provided within walls or provided on external surfaces, allowing ready access for reconfiguration, repair, or installation of additional equipment. Such systems may typically include various sections of duct or raceway, including straight sections and various fittings, such as 90° elbow fittings. 45° elbow fittings, T-fittings, four-way intersection (x) fittings, and the like, respective ones of which are affixed together by duct couplers to cumulatively form a duct system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,634,605, 6,523,791, 6,450,458, and 6,559,378 provide examples and descriptions of the general background of cable duct couplers and other cable duct fittings, and the entirety of these applications are incorporated herein by reference as though set forth here in full. U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,243 (assigned to ADC Telecommunications, Inc.) provides a description of the general background and environment of cable routing systems, and the specification of that issued patent is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth here in full.
Due to the increase in the number and sophistication of such raceway duct systems, the number of duct couplers and fittings being installed in such systems has also increased significantly. Therefore, it is important to have couplers and fittings that are easy to install and inexpensive to manufacture, and that provide relatively high resistance to “pullout” forces to prevent unintended disassembly.
Previous designs disclosed a cable barb coupler comprising a barb that could be repeatedly moved between a first “engaged” position and a second “unengaged” position, without any material degradation in the performance of the coupler. However, the switch between the first and second modes required the use of tools to adjust the position of the barb. Although that previous design was an improvement over the prior art, it would be a further improvement to provide a product that offered the same advantages without requiring the use of additional tools. Significantly, the present invention permits the cable duct coupler to be selectively and repeatedly switched between a first “engaged” mode and a second “unengaged” mode without any degradation in performance of the coupler and without any need for or use of separate tools.